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EquityMatters! September/October 2022

"Culture, it turns out, is the way that every brain makes sense of the world. That is why everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, has a culture." --Zaretta L. Hammond

Dear Colleagues,

It’s hard to believe the summer has ended and we are almost half way through the first quarter. As a child, I will be the first to admit, I dreaded the return of school. As a leader, and I know you know a leader is not defined by title or position, my mental model around this time of the year began to shift and change. My displeasure and disappointment changed to anticipation and excitement! I began to embrace the power we have to imagine and reimagine how we engage our students in more meaningful and engaging ways. How we can love, embrace, value and appreciate the diversity and varied experiences of our families, students and staff. I learned to envision how to transform every interaction to one that is culturally responsive.

During the August Administration and Supervision (A&S) meeting, Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), challenged us to reflect on the levels of culture outlined in Zaretta Hammond’s text, Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. As a Unit, we were thrilled to revisit the text and to take the opportunity for us to be reflective in our practice. How do we create experiences for all that we encounter that are culturally responsive? How often do we revisit past practices (i.e. Back to School Night, New Student Orientation, Pre-Service Week) to adjust to make them more culturally responsive?

In this edition to the Equity Matters Newsletter, we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do just that…focus on Culturally Responsive Practices. We wanted to provide you with tools and resources to not only further the conversation, but to engage in the work that we are all so committed to doing. We look forward to hearing how you were able to utilize these tools and resources. Be sure to tweet about it and tag us @mcpsequityteam on Twitter. We can’t wait to see your tweet and retweet it!

Respectfully,

Dr. Anthony R. Alston, director, Equity Initiatives Unit

In this issue:

What Does It Mean to be Culturally Responsive?

In MCPS for years we have been talking about the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings and Geneva Gay on culturally responsive practices to focus on best strategies and actions for engaging all our learners whose experiences and cultures are traditionally excluded. The articles below are a great resource for continuing the work we engaged in at the last A&S meetings and helping you in your journey moving the work forward.

What is Culture?

In this article, Dr. Daryl C. Howard, instructional specialist, Equity Initiatives Unit, writes that "culture is the most important force for creating and maintaining equity-centered schools...An equity-centered school focuses on an environmental culture where belonging, learning, and the belief in achievement exists."

The Three Levels of Culture (C, c)

The video below is from the August 18, 2022, A&S meeting. In this video Dr. Anthony R. Alston, director of the Equity Initiatives Unit shares a mini lesson on the three levels of culture from Zaretta Hammond’s text, Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain.

Five Essential Strategies to Embrace Culturally Responsive Teaching

"Being culturally responsive is a critical and necessary feature of our interactions with one another. It is also vitally important in the context of education. Culturally responsive teaching is an approach that 'empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes'” (Ladson-Billings, 2014).

What is Cultural Mismatch in Education?

In understanding how to become culturally responsive educators, it is important to acknowledge the barriers in place that impact our current state. Our schools and systems are a cultural mismatch to many of the students and families we serve. This impacts how we build relationships, the decisions we make, and the final academic and social outcomes for our students. Read the article below from CulturalMismatch.org to learn more. As you read reflect on these questions:

What forms of cultural mismatch are present in your classroom, school or department? How does that current mismatch impact relationships, practices and implementation of policies?

Dr. Joan's Gems

Each month, Equity Initiatives Instructional Specialist, Dr. Joan Mory, will provide new, specific resources (articles, strategies, videos, techniques, activators, etc.) that can be used at meetings, in planning, and in the classroom, home or community. They will address different themes associated with teaching, learning and leading.

This month's focus is on culturally responsive teaching. Over two decades ago, Geneva Gay introduced culturally responsive teaching to ensure that dependent learners could become independent ones. Her framework examined how educators can connect their students’ culture, language, and life experience to the classroom in order to increase student achievement for all learners. Gay (2013) described culturally responsive teaching as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them.”

Cultural Proficiency Continuum

To be an effective educator, you must understand and acknowledge the critical role culture plays in teaching and learning. Read the article below and examine the 6 points of the Cultural Proficiency Continuum and reflect on these questions:

  • Where do you place yourself on the continuum with respect to the various student cultural groups at your school and/or department?
  • How can you continue to grow and develop yourself?

MCPS Antiracist System Audit: What to Expect Next

The Antiracist System Audit report written by the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) is now available.

Hispanic Heritage Month & Religious and Cultural Commemorations

"The MCPS Board of Education has proclaimed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout the month, MCPS schools will be celebrating the unique culture and traditions of students, teachers, staff and community members who trace their roots to Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Hispanics and Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in MCPS, with 32 percent of the student population, representing 21 Spanish-speaking countries." (MCPS 09/15/2022)

While the official and more common umbrella term, “Hispanic” is something that most of us are familiar with, this does not represent the diverse races, cultures, and Indigenous languages that encompass this large community. This is why you may also see this recognized as Latino or Latinx Heritage Month.

We all can do our part to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in MCPS by highlighting how the Hispanic/Latino/Latinx community contributes to the vibrant culture of our schools and local communities in Montgomery County.

Save the date! Join us for our first VOCES of the school year where we’ll be elevating our MCPS Latino student and educator voices.

The Resplendent Quetzal

Here's a fun lesson from the National Museum of American History to share with your students. The Quetzal is an important bird for the people of Guatemala. In this lesson you will learn about the resplendent Quetzal and how its feathers were used to pay for special things a long time ago in Central America.

Celebrating Diwali

Diwali starts on October 24. It is celebrated around the globe and by many MCPS students and their families. Over one billion Hindus, 27 million Sikhs, and many Jains and Buddhists celebrate this five-day "Celebration of Lights" marking the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Watch this video to hear how one MCPS Family observes Diwali.

Resources Just for You

Planning Culturally Responsive Parent Engagement

For many families, our current engagement strategies do not work. One challenge is that activities are often organized from the lens of educators or vocal parents. Organizers need to first take the time to understand the needs and experiences of the families we would most benefit hearing from and engaging with. The following resources provide easy-to-use tools that help educators and parent leaders organize effective engagement practices that consider the cultural and social-political experiences of all of our families.

Free Online Learning from the National Equity Project

The NEP has long been a great resource for the EIU to engage in deepening our work to support the district. They have several great webinars available for free.

Equity Initiatives Unit Professional Development Library

Borrow a book from the EIU Professional Development Collection. This is a lending library to support your equity journey. Just click on the link below, sign in with your MCPS login, click on collections, and then hit Equity Unit - Professional Development Collection.

Past Editions of EquityMatters!

Past Editions of the EquityMatters! Newsletters

Equity Impact Questions

Evidence of Equity Impact Questions

We all need to develop the habits of asking critical questions about race and equity throughout all aspects of leadership, planning, and engagement. The Evidence of Equity Framework questions provide a systematic examination of how different racial and ethnic groups will likely be affected by a proposed action or decision. Use these questions as you are enacting new policies, initiatives, practices, and as part of the evaluation process to ensure equitable outcomes for all students, families, and staff. Deep equity work takes place when we are proactive in our approach.

The EIU hopes this issue sparks discussion and actions, and that you feel supported knowing we are shoulder-to-shoulder with you in moving our equity work forward.

Contact the EIU if you don't find what you need.

Darwin, Daryl, Deanna, Edvin, Ericka, Joan, Maniya, Marya, and Anthony

Created By
Edvin Hernandez
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